Daily Republican., 1887-09-22
A Clam Chase.

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A Clam Chase.
"Being from the west, you are of
course fond of hunting, and am aston
ished that you have not yet INDUCED
in the excitements OF clam hunt"
said the meek-eyed clerk of Mr.. Earle's
big tavern 10 me the other day. And
then he gave me graphic description
of the chase, the 'orn of the 'unter be-
ing card on the i'll, the impatient bay
ing of the trained clam hounds, the
eager horses champlng at the bit, and
the frightened clam bounding from its
cover and Fastening with terrific leaps
toward its lair in the hills. He stirred
my enthusiasm up from the very
depths, and the next day being Sun
day. boarded the good ship Colum.
bia and was soon upon the bosom of
the great Atlantic en.route to Rocka-
way. The day didn't seem to be a
good one for clans. for after an ardu-
GUS hunt of two hours duration, my
Winchester had not yet hurled the
death dealing lead at one of the fleet
animals. In my disappointment the
beautiful but sorrowful lines of Aris.
totle were brought with vivid distinct
ness to my memory, and time and
time again my well,trsined soprano
trick voice rang out:
Gold John Brown went hunting after
clans,
Old John Brown went hunting after
clans,
Old John Brown went hunting after
clam,
And he never caught .dod-durned
clam
SmartIng under my c'lamitous dis
appointment | sought the beach, where
several dozen assorted maidens were
splashing about in the surf, kicking
their nude feet at the caps OF the roll
ing breakers and exposing their corns
TO the rude gaze Of myself and some
more of the populace. When New
York girl concludes to take sea bath,
she puts on pair of high-water pants
and an oblong blush, runs from the
dressing, or, rather. the undressing
room, across the sandy beach like a
frightened deer and throws herself
into old Neptune's embrace with
careless abandon that is indeed beauti-
ful. l felt a great big lump of envy
for Mr.. Neptune rising in my throat,
| but l choked it down and consoled
myself with the thought that he is get
ting too old to enjoy even that delight
tul pastime.
The female bathing suit is a study.
| sat there in the glittering sand study
| ing it for about four hours until the
steamer whistlcd to me that it was
time to go home, when | reluctantly
|sauntered away, looking back over
my shoulder with wistful look. The
suit is cut oh! just awfully decolette
at both ends, and is made OF mate
rial that after becoming wet seems to
be of a timid, confding nature, and
clings to the wearer like porous plas-
| ter.
At first sight the modest western
man instinctively looks away and tries
to blush, but the eyes soon become &C
customed to the novel spectacle ard,
as the girls don't seem to care, the
spectator crawls up closer and closer
with determined yet modest crawls. in
an endeavor to get near enough to
hear what the wild waves are saying
to the lovely mermaids and kitchen
maids and maids of all work as they
sport in the saline waters and kick up
at the blue dome of heaven. | found
that an opera glass-a double barreled
lone tuat would catch two girls at
|once--was a great aid to the student,
land worked one to its fullest capacity
lduring the two short hours which l
devoted to the aquatic lesson. My
Ieyes are still drawn out to sharp points
Through overstudy, but the doctor
Isays they will regain their usual COM
Gposure in time, if | keep away from
IRockaway beach.
On the return trip the sea was rough
land the boat rolled heavily. soon
Itelt an uncomfortable desire to be
lalone, away from the giddy whirl o
1.-THE thoughtless throng, and sought the
back door of the ship. There were
lperhaps dozen others of both sexc!
Ithere leaning on the backyard fence
land looking down on the sad ses
Iwaves with reproachiul glances.
lioined them, and for several miles We
,Iclung there strewing the face of th'
ldeep with maledictions and chowder'
EOthers came back and mingled thei
lamentations with ours as we spec
ialong. A more "retched" crowd
never saw.
| am asked great many questions
Iregardng Kansas City Nearly every
Imam met in the rotunda of the hote
1seems to be an animated catechism,
and they seem to look upon me as
general encyclopgdia-in one volume
Iwonaerful city, and large proportion
eIof the people of New York think O.
r moving out there. Ii you had no ex-
Tradition treaty with this State l be
Iiievo you would soon feel quickenine
lin the pulse of emigration, and trave
Howard Canada would slow down tt
1 iour miles an hour.